Entire station takes part in long search for missing girl It is unusual for a lifeboat station to be awarded a Thanks of the Institution on Vellum, but this was the only way in which the dedication of almost the entire station could be recognised after they had taken part in a long, and sadly fruitless, search for a young girl. During the 20 hours the incident lasted the station's D class was at sea for eight hours, and also rescued two people and landed two more in separate incidents.The first notification of the events came from Falmouth coastguard at 1903 on 4 June 1996, who told the station that two adults and a child were cut of by the tide at Sandymouth Bay some two to three miles north of Bude.

The station's D class inflatable Elsie Frances was away only six minutes later, but despite the light WNW breeze a sizeable surf was running, and it took two attempts to clear the 8ft to 10ft break. Outside Bude Haven a large ground swell was running in from the west and there were breaking seas up to 500 yards out from the coast.

It took only six minutes to reach the scene, but with such an extreme surf running and with no beach to land on at that state of the tide there was no way the D class could approach closely. She stood-by, clear of the breakers, while a Coastguard team began to recover the casualties by rope up the cliff.

At 1941 they received some bad news. One of the people who had been successfully brought to the top of the cliff reported that the third casualty, five-year-old girl, had been washed off the rocks and had not been seen since.

Search The D class immediately started a search of the area and a helicopter was scrambled from RAF Chivenor to assist. The Coastguard cliff team started cliff top search and, once they heard the news, some of the RNLI station personnel also hurried over to Sandymouth by car to help the search.

An hour later it was decided that the lifeboat should return to Bude to refuel - so that both helicopter and lifeboat would not have to leave the scene for fuel at the same time - and the D set off for her station.

Just as she approached Bude two people were swept off the pier by the large waves, and the lifeboat went in to help. Crew member Gary Parkinson immediately jumped into the water, oblivious to his own safety, to grab one of the people who had struck his head on the pier and was in grave danger of drowning.With the casualties and crew members recovered the lifeboat went into the Haven to land them and refuel-there was such a surge running in the harbour that it needed five people in the water to control the inflatable.

With a change of crew and an extra fuel tank the lifeboat set out again and was back in the search area by 2050 where she rejoined the helicopter.

Sunset was at 2120 and it would have been foolhardy to try to re-enter Bude Haven in the dark with such a sea running. So when the helicopter ran low on fuel and left at 2145 the lifeboat carried out one more sweep and then returned to station.

Stranded Again she encountered an incident as she returned to Bude, this time two people who had been moving their yacht to a different mooring had been stranded aboard when they lost their tender. Although they were not in any immediate danger they were picked up and landed at the lifeboat station.

By 2230 Elsie Frances //was refuelled and ready to rejoin the search, which had been called off for the night and was to be resumed at first light.

At 0530 the next morning no fewer than 22 people connected with the lifeboat station assembled at the boathouse to launch the lifeboat and join in the search from the shore. With a third crew in charge the inflatable once again returned to Sandymouth Bay to search in slightly better although still very rough - conditions.

Reluctant At 0905 the operation was stood down until a thorough beach search could be conducted later - which the lifeboat (with more fuel and another crew change) and many shorehelpers carried out from around midday.

After three hours of intensive searching nothing was found and the search was reluctantly called off at 1500, after 20 hours of intense effort.The lifeboat D class inflatable Elsie Frances II Operational Number D495 The crew Thanks on Vellum: Bude Lifeboat Station Framed Letter of Appreciation from the Chairman: Crew member Gary Parkinson.